Kristupas Sabeckas spoke with Basketball Sphere about his development in the Zalgiris system, Lithuania’s run at the U17 World Cup in Istanbul, and what comes next.
Kristupas Sabeckas averaged 10 points a game when Lithuania won silver at the U16 EuroBasket last summer. That result booked the team’s place at the U17 World Cup in Istanbul, and there, twelve months on, Sabeckas led Lithuania in efficiency while averaging 15.3 points.
Lithuania won all three of their group games in Istanbul, beat Japan by 36 in the round of 16 and lost the quarter-final to Serbia, who went on to reach the final against the United States. In the seventh-place game Sabeckas scored 26 in a 98:93 win over Puerto Rico, and Lithuania went home with five wins from seven.
Between the two summers came a season with U18 Zalgiris, who entered the NextGen EuroLeague as reigning champions. At the February qualifier in Abu Dhabi they won every game they played before the event was cancelled, and at the Finals in Athens in May the title defense ended in the group stage.
The 17-year-old guard starts the new season back in the Zalgiris academy, which he calls one of the best youth organisations in Europe, with the NCAA in his longer-term plans.
For Sabeckas, basketball has been a part of his life from a very young age. Looking back on those early days, he reflects on how his love for the game began and the people who supported him along the way.
,,So, first of all, I started shooting basketballs on my mini hoop as soon as I started standing. Basketball in Lithuania is widely known as a religion, and for me, it was also in my blood. At the start of my youth career, I had big support from my family and especially my father, who pushed me to be better every day. Although at first I was average until I was around 12 years old, that’s when I started progressing in big and consistent steps.”
Having come through Zalgiris’ youth system, Sabeckas has had the opportunity to develop in one of the most respected basketball environments in Europe. He reflects on his experience within the organization and the role it has played in his progress so far.
,,I believe recently I have improved the most ever, and Zalgiris was a huge part of that. I really love the mentality the organization instills and the professionalism they want us to show. This is truly one of the best youth organizations in Europe, with how seriously they take our careers and development.”
With the season (2025/2026) behind him, Kristupas Sabeckas looks back at what he managed to accomplish individually and where the team could have done more. There was also plenty for him to take from the experience as he looks ahead to the next chapter.
,,For the season, my expectations were low. I wasn’t sure how much I would develop and improve, but throughout the season, I think I showed what I was capable of, which summarizes my previous season as a success. Team-wise, I expected a bit more from us because I know what we can truly achieve, but that doesn’t upset me because I’m just looking forward to the next season, and I can’t wait to use what I’ve learned this year.”
The EuroLeague Next Generation Tournament (2025/2026) brought plenty of valuable experience for Zalgiris and Sabeckas, both on and off the court. With the team making it to the Finals, Kristupas also had the chance to test himself against strong competition and put together some memorable performances along the way.
,,We actually had some outside problems in Abu Dhabi, as you probably already know, but as far as gameplay, I think we did great as a team, winning all the games we played in the qualifications, which secured our spot in the finals. It was sad that we couldn’t finish the full tournament, but at least we got to play in the finals, where I think we could have done better, as my expectations were higher for the team.
Regarding my own performance, I would say in the qualifications I surpassed the expectations by far, proving myself in the squad. In the finals, at first my performance level dropped, but I still finished strong in the last few games, and overall, I would say I still did better than everyone thought, and I hope to continue on that next year. The tournament itself was organized very neatly and well. I liked how professional the organizers were and how much attention the tournament attracted.”
The FIBA U17 World Cup proved to be an important stage for Kristupas Sabeckas, especially after a difficult start to the tournament. He found his rhythm as the competition went on and played with growing confidence, making the most of the opportunities that came his way.
,,After the first poor individual game, I really needed to think about what I could really do on the court and remember some of my best games throughout the season, where I was shining with confidence. That’s what I really kept up during all of the other games. I knew how much I had improved and how well I could play, so just being confident in my abilities was the key to personal success.
Of course, it would be easy for other teams to guard me if I was a one-man army, but our team was very equally talented, and any of us could shine if left with less attention from the defense. This also left me with more space on the court and more opportunities.”
A year can make a big difference in the development of a young player, and Sabeckas feels that was certainly the case for him. From his confidence and physicality to his shooting, he noticed clear improvements when comparing his performances across the two tournaments.
,,I watched my games from both tournaments recently, and my confidence level compared to the U16 EuroBasket was like night and day, as well as my physicality. I think these were the biggest factors that improved a lot and let me dominate my competition more.
My three-point shooting was also crucial for this year’s great performance, shooting over 40% in the U17 World Cup. In my opinion, these three traits are the most important in basketball, and that’s why, by improving them, I made this big jump in individual performance.”
With plenty still ahead of him, Kristupas Sabeckas already has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve. For now, his attention remains on making the most of his opportunity with Zalgiris and continuing to take steps forward in his development.
,,For now, I’m fully focused on proving myself to the fullest in the Zalgiris system and getting the most out of this opportunity, and afterwards, I will be looking for my chances in the NCAA. I believe if I don’t stop working as hard and improving as much, the sky is the only limit for me.”
K.SABECKAS (09) | 6'3” G 🇱🇹
— WINGSPAN SCOUTING (@wingspanscout) September 4, 2026
– 11.21 lane agility | 3.25 sprint | 31” standing vert — one of the sharper physical guard profiles at BWB 2026.
– Gets downhill with real burst, creates paint pressure and has the length to bring two-way value.#BWB2026 #Lithuania pic.twitter.com/GBUn8zIFVC
